Sabarimala PIL: SC asks police to provide security to lawyer

The Supreme Court (SC) has asked the Delhi Police to provide security to a lawyer, who has allegedly received threat calls after his NGO filed a PIL, seeking the entry of women falling in the menstrual age in the historic Sabarimala temple, saying that such attempts should be “crippled in the beginning” itself.

“Access to justice cannot be dented by any authority or person. It can only be controlled by a court of law within the parameters of law. Individual whim or fancy or perception has no room,” a three-judge Bench, headed by Justice Dipak Misra, said, directing the city police chief to ensure that no harm is caused to him.

Naushad Ahmed Khan, president of the Indian Young Lawyers’ Association (IYLA) that has filed the PIL on the Sabarimala issue, has alleged that he has been receiving threat calls for moving court.

Dealing with the contents of the plea, the Bench said if the allegations are true, then they “would definitely have the strength to create a dent in the fundamental concept of Rule of Law which is sacrosanct in a democratic body polity”.

“Regard being held to the gravity of the matter, we issue notice to the Commissioner of Police of New Delhi and require him to file the response as regards the steps taken on the basis of the said FIR. We are absolutely conscious that the FIR has been lodged at a particular police station, but we would like the Commissioner of Police to file the response. We direct the Commissioner of Police to see that attempts of this nature are crippled in the beginning,” the Bench said.

The court said once a PIL is filed and entertained, it cannot be allowed to be withdrawn. “Hearing in a court of law is not dependent, especially in a PIL by any person. Once the PIL is entertained by this court ...even if the President of the Association desires to withdraw the same, this court may decline to grant that permission. That apart, as we find, there are other petitioners,” it said.